A GENIUS!!!!

A pure collie post will be coming later today……

While I believe Henry Ford was a genius I have come to believe that after the Ford Model T that the true genius at Ford was his son Edsel.  You see, Edsel with Bob Gregorie designed the Model A, then he designed the 32 Ford the famous Deuce!  He developed the teardrop Fords, the Lincoln Zephyr and the Lincoln Continental!  He founded Mercury and his designs are still considered some of the most beautiful cars ever built!

While old Henry was developing a V-8 (no small feat!!!!) Edsel was putting sealed beam headlights into the fenders, creating Continental Kits, designing locking ignition switches on the steering wheel and creating new looks that were copied by everyone in the automobile industry.  While Henry fought four wheel brakes and hydraulic brakes Edsel put them in with safety features!!!  Safety glass… Edsel put that in the low price Fords…. the first low price car to do that!  While Henry was putting hydraulic shock absorbers on the Model A’s Edsel was developing bucket seats and Fords had them in the 1930’s!!!

Henry got all the attention but the guy who put Ford into the fast lane in advancing technology was the unsung hero… Edsel Ford.  Unlike his father Edsel was a all around nice guy who did not agree with his father about much outside of making Ford the tops and even that was a war for Edsel!

A soft spoken man who liked to remain in the background Edsel loved life and boats, cars, airplanes, art, music, animals and his family.  Dogs, Edsel’s family had lots of dogs and yes they had at least one collie!!!  His daughter Josephine loved animals and was a big supporter of taking care of animals during her lifetime!

Edsel gave money to Admiral Byrd for his polar expeditions,  for Amelia Earhart and other explorers.  He supported the arts and his main love after his family were cars.  But, he loved beautiful cars and he had up to 18 cars in his garage at any time.  Oh yes, Fords, Mercurys and of course Lincolns.  But, he also had some beautiful European cars and even had some American makes like Cadillac!!!

Edsel Ford’s son, Henry II took over the company in 1945 after his father died and old Henry could no longer lead. He saved the company and took on Chevrolet for almost 40 years and made it a powerhouse once again after old Henry almost wrecked the company.  Benson another son did wonderful research in many areas and while we mentioned Josephine his other son William Clay Ford is still alive today and owns the Detroit Lions.  The William Ford who is in charge of Ford now vows they will be number one again and in most countries they have passed GM in sales and last month total company sales came within 6,000 total vehicles of catching GM in America!

If it hadnt been for Edsel Ford would not be here now….  he saved the company and was a wonderful human being who no one spoke badly of.  He was overshadowed all his life by his father……  which is too bad.  But, I dont think Edsel would’ve had it any other way other than his father being nicer to him.  Edsel was the force behind Lincoln being bought by Ford and from that point on he designed one beautiful car after another…… each a legend in the automobile world.

With my busy schedule I have decided to take one day off to rest….. no collie business, no tractor business, no school, no work… just a day to recharge.  What am I going to do?  Well, I am heading off to Ford House.. the home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford….. I can;t think of a better way to just get away from it all.. and by the way… look up Ford House and take a look at his home.. this guy had a gorgeous home!

So, a salute to Edsel Ford!!!!  May God Bless his soul….

Edsel Ford and His Family!

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Edsel and Eleanor

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

The 1932 Ford…. the Deuce which is my favorite Ford of all time….

–

–

–

–

–

The 1939 Mercury, Edsel’s creation comes to life!

–

–

–

–

–

–

To me, the most elegant and beautiful car ever built the Lincoln Continental, Edsel’s greatest creation……

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

SALUTE to you Edsel!!!!!